Hot Spot: Starting Rotation. Teheran will make his sixth straight opening day start for Atlanta on March 28 at Philadelphia. This was not the plan before Foltynewicz, who enjoyed a breakout 2018 season when he was an All-Star, developed a sore elbow this spring. Foltynewicz is expected to miss at least two weeks. Mike Soroka also had shoulder problems that prevented him from contending for a rotation spot. Gausman (shoulder) and Newcomb (control) also had difficulties this spring, causing concerns about the status of the rotation entering the season.

Outlook: Acuna gives Atlanta an exciting new face of the franchise, joining Freeman, who remains in his prime after placing fourth in NL MVP voting last season. A healthy Donaldson would give Snitker a powerful right-handed bat to add depth to the lineup. It appears Snitker plans to hit Acuna fourth, behind Donaldson and Freeman, against right-handers. Acuna also was effective as a leadoff hitter and could return to the top of the lineup if Inciarte or Albies struggle. The Braves need Markakis, who is 35, to repeat his 2018 first-half showing, when he hit .323 with 10 homers and 61 RBIs before the All-Star break. He batted only .258 with four homers after the break. For Atlanta to again contend in the division, Foltynewicz probably must bounce back from his sore elbow and deliver as the leader of the rotation. Otherwise, the Braves might have to depend on such young pitchers as Toussaint, Wright and Soroka, placing too much stress on the bullpen.

Hot Spot: Bullpen. GM Mike Rizzo did as much reconfiguring with his relievers as any group of players on the roster, but questions remain. Is Rosenthal’s command going to be good enough to make his 100-plus mph fastball matter as he returns from Tommy John surgery? Will Barraclough be as effective as he was during a brief stint as a closer — or struggle as he also has done? Can Sipp be the effective lefty the team needs in a division with left-handed sluggers such as ex-teammate Harper, Freddie Freeman and Robinson Cano?

Outlook: A return to the postseason is imperative. Martinez’s first year as a manager hardly went as hoped, with Washington sinking to second place and missing the playoffs after two consecutive NL East titles under Dusty Baker. More than a third of the roster was turned over in the offseason, with two new catchers, a new starting second baseman, two new starting pitchers (including $140 million man Corbin) behind stars Scherzer and Strasburg, and more. If NL Rookie of the Year runner-up Soto continues to progress at age 20, Rendon puts up similar production to what he usually does, and the rotation is as good as advertised — oh, and they can avoid the sorts of injuries that piled up a year ago — the Nationals could matter more than they did in 2018.

Hot Spot: Starting Rotation. Nola emerged as an All-Star and true ace last year but there’s questions after him. Arrieta, the former Cubs ace, signed in mid-March last year and had an up-and-down season. He’s hoping a full spring training and offseason knee surgery will help him revert to his old form. Pivetta, Velasquez and Eflin have showed promise. They gained valuable experience last year, combining for 86 starts. The team has sought a left-handed starter to break up the righties but will enter the season with this starting five, barring injuries or significant moves. Jerad Eickhoff adds depth, if healthy. He’s still recovering from injuries that plagued him the past two seasons.

Outlook: After six straight losing seasons, the Phillies already were expecting to contend for a postseason berth before adding Harper. Now, they should be a serious challenger for a pennant. They led their division with the second-best record in the NL one week into August before collapsing last year and losing 33 of the final 49 games. Close won’t cut it this season. Even though the rotation is iffy, the offense should carry the team and the bullpen is solid. This team is poised to have its first winning season since 2011 and play October baseball.

Hot Spots: Infield Corners and Center Field. Alonso and a rejuvenated Smith were putting up big numbers at spring training in a spirited competition for the first base job. Both touted prospects could make the opening-day roster following the injuries to Frazier and Lowrie, which have opened a door for McNeil at third base after he was shifted to left field early in camp. J.D. Davis, acquired from Houston in the offseason, could also become a fill-in option at both corner spots. New York hopes the oft-injured Lagares and newcomer Keon Broxton can sufficiently plug a hole in center field, at least against left-handers or until Yoenis Cespedes returns in left. The slugger is recovering from surgery on both heels and isn’t expected back before midseason at the earliest.

Outlook: Coming off consecutive losing seasons, the Mets made an unorthodox move last fall and handed the front-office reins to Van Wagenen, the agent-turned-general manager who used to represent deGrom, Cespedes and several other New York players. During a busy offseason, an aggressive Van Wagenen upgraded nearly every area on the roster, vastly improving the bullpen and overall depth. He acquired former clients Cano and Lowrie and spent about $80 million on free agents, not to mention more big bucks in assuming Cano’s hefty contract. Whether it all winds up being enough to contend in the suddenly rugged NL East remains to be seen, because Philadelphia, Washington and defending champion Atlanta all stocked up this winter as well. Age and injuries remain a concern in New York. But with a strong pitching staff and more punch to the lineup, this team certainly looks much better and there is legitimate reason for optimism.

Hot Spot: Offense. Scoring will likely be a problem — again. The Marlins averaged 3.7 runs per game in 2018, last in the majors and well below the MLB average of 4.5. Miami also finished last in doubles, home runs, slugging and OPS, and that was with since-departed All-Star Realmuto.

Outlook: In the second year of a reboot under CEO Derek Jeter, Miami may be hard-pressed to match last year’s win total. Even if there’s improvement, the Marlins are likely destined for their 10th consecutive losing season, and their 16th in a row without a playoff appearance. But there’s reason for long-term optimism thanks to such youngsters as Anderson and starting pitchers Richards, Lopez, Alcantara and left-hander Caleb Smith. The farm system is much deeper than when Jeter’s group bought the franchise, and the Marlins will likely audition plenty of prospects before the year is out. That could include 22-year-old outfielder Victor Victor Mesa, a Cuban defector who received a $5.25 million signing bonus last fall.